Heptathlete cleared 1.97m when retaining the British indoor high jump title in Sheffield

Katarina Johnson-Thompson spoke of her hopes of becoming the first British woman to go over 2.00m after setting a British high jump record at the Sainsbury’s Indoor British Championships on Saturday.

Johnson-Thompson cleared 1.97m to take gold at Sheffield’s EIS and also see off the challenge of rising star Morgan Lake whose silver medal-winning clearance of 1.94m was a British junior record.

It was an event that showcased the current strength in depth of Britain’s female high jump, with Johnson-Thompson successfully defending her crown and reclaiming the national record she had previously shared with Isobel Pooley. Pooley, who cleared 1.96m outdoors last summer, placed third at the weekend with a best of 1.88m.

“I am really happy to be back healthy and competing again, and it s obviously great to get a personal best, but I never thought I d be disappointed with a 1.97m,” she said.

“It s crazy because it s a British record and a personal best, but without sounding too negative I really wanted that 2.00m.

“I cleared the 1.97m first attempt and with some space as well, so I just think I could have done a little bit better.

“But it is my first high jump competition of the year and things are still improving so hopefully I should get it in the future.

“I think it s the big two-zero on the board that does put you off a little bit, even if you can clear that anyway.

“Maybe if it was 1.97m plus three you d be able to clear it a little easier! It s a bit of a mental thing that s hard to get over, but it s my first competition and I m happy with my performance.”

The world’s top heptathlete in 2014 now turns her attention to contesting the long jump at the Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix this weekend.

“It s good to see I am in good shape in the high jump and I can move on to other events with confidence that I m in a good place at the minute,” she said.

“The last time I did the high jump was the national champs outdoors last year, so it s been a very long time and with a few more competitions I m hopeful of going even higher.”

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